Possibly it wasn’t a “miracle,” nevertheless it was a win for the ages for Group USA on Sunday in Milan.
After his brother Quinn Hughes scored the time beyond regulation winner for the People within the quarterfinal win over Sweden, Jack Hughes beat Jordan Binnington with a wrist shot from the left wing 1:41 into OT to carry the People to the gold medal win over Canada for USA’s third Olympic gold in males’s hockey and first since a time when the world was a lot, a lot completely different in 1980.
Hughes wore his purple, white and blue on his sleeve after the heart-wrenching victory that was a very long time coming for the U.S.
“I really like the USA, I really like my teammates,” Hughes, his mouth nonetheless bleeding from a third-period excessive stick, informed NBC. “The USA hockey brotherhood is so robust and we’ve a lot help. We’ve a lot help from ex-players and I’m so proud to be American at this time.”
It was the forty sixth anniversary of the People’ momentous upset of the mighty Soviet Union within the Olympic semifinal. A lot has modified within the geopolitical and hockey worlds since then. The U.S. is correct up there with hockey powerhouse Canada. However at instances within the third interval, it felt a bit like 1980 once more with Canada dominating play however Connor Hellebuyck, taking part in the a part of Jim Craig, stood tall, stopping all 14 pictures he noticed within the third.
The Michigan-born Hellebuyck, who was a two-year starter at UMass Lowell and in web within the 4 Nations final February in Boston when Connor McDavid scored the time beyond regulation winner, was large, turning apart 41-of-42 pictures.
“Unbelievable sport by Hellebuyck,” stated the golden goal-scorer. “He was our greatest participant at this time by a mile, unbelievable sport. Unreal sport by our workforce. Only a ballsy, gutsy win. That’s American hockey proper there.”
After the People obtained their gold medals, they gathered for a workforce picture, however not earlier than Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin went into the stands to get the kids of Johnny Gaudreau, the Group USA stalwart who was killed alongside together with his brother Matthew by a drunk driver in August 2024. The People have saved his No. 13 with them ever since then and, on Sunday, they delivered the gold.
On the winner, Werenski discovered Jack Hughes, who had struggled in final 12 months’s 4 Nations however was glorious in Italy, and Hughes beat Binnington between the pads to ship Group USA right into a frenzy celebration.
The day began with dangerous information for Canada when it was introduced that captain Sidney Crosby, hero of the 2010 gold medal sport in opposition to the U.S., would miss the sport with the lower-body damage he suffered within the quarterfinal sport in opposition to Czechia.
It was a troublesome break for Canada, however the depth was palpable from the opening puck drop. Within the 4 Nations event final 12 months, by which Canada prevailed, the People took it to their neighbors to the north bodily. The Canadians responded by placing bodily ahead Tom Wilson on their Olympic roster and the Washington Capital ahead made his presence felt early with a giant hit on Larkin behind the U.S. web.
However Larkin popped up and so did the U.S., taking the primary lead of the sport at 6:00 on a superb particular person play by Millis and Boston School product Matt Boldy. Transferring in on a 1-on-2 in opposition to Cale Makar and Devon Toews, Boldy first flipped the puck into the air and, when it was knee-high, he knocked it ahead between the 2 D-men and picked up it on the opposite facet. Now bearing in alone on goalie Binnington, Boldy slipped a backhander in opposition to the grain and beat Binnington.
Maybe the purpose was too fairly for a few of his teammates, who acquired too cute on a variety of events. Matthew Tkachuk handed up alternative to shoot on a 5-on-5 after which, on the one energy play of the primary interval, Auston Matthews was on their lonesome with puck slightly below the proper circle however he tried to go it to a lined Tkachuk and the prospect went for naught.
Canada, in the meantime, examined Hellebuyck pretty often however he held up properly by way of the primary 20 minutes.
Each groups had wonderful possibilities within the first half of the primary interval. First, Canada turned it over to Brock Nelson within the slot however Binnington simply acquired a pad on the Nelson shot. Then Connor McDavid had a breakaway however the Canadian famous person deked one too many instances, and Hellbuyck held his floor and the prospect glided by the wayside.
However then Canada acquired what might have been a game-changing alternative. First, Jake Guentzel took one penalty after which on the ability play, the Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy held Makar, giving Canada a 5-on-3 for 1:33. With the quantity of offensive expertise Canada boasts, that appeared like an eternity. However with nice work up entrance by Larkin and Vincent Trocheck and Hellebuyck between the pipes, the U.S. killed it.
Although that would have been a momentum-changer within the People’ favor, Canada saved coming till it lastly tied the sport with 1:44 left within the second. Off a faceoff win, the puck was labored to Makar on the proper level. He moved right down to the circle and beat Hellebuyck with an ideal far-side shot.
The U.S. nearly reclaimed the lead within the ultimate minute of the interval however Brock Faber’s long-distance shot hit each posts and stayed out.
And so this extremely anticipated border warfare went to the third interval in a impasse, although Canada had the higher of the play within the second.
The U.S. appeared prefer it had jitters to begin the third. It iced the puck twice on the primary shift after which Hellebuyck made maybe the save of the event when Teows had a wide-open web with the puck sitting within the crease. However a determined Hellebuyck managed to get his paddle on the tap-in try.
Then, after McAvoy had his shot blocked on the proper level, Macklin Celebrini took off on a clear breakaway however Hellebuyck made a pad cease on the budding generational expertise. And halfway by way of the interval, Nathan MacKinnon had a wide-open web and his shot hit the facet of the cage.
The Grade As saved coming for Canada. Brad Marchand circled the web and threw a puck on the web. It acquired deflected and Wilson’s follow-up shot acquired behind Hellebuyck, however McAvoy was on the goal line to keep it out.
Then the U.S. acquired thrown a lifeline. In a nook battle, Sam Bennett high-sticked Jack Hughes, giving the People a four-minute energy play.
However after failing to attain the go-ahead purpose — Binnington made a fantastic pad save on Tkachuk within the crease and Tage Thompson couldn’t rating on the comply with — Hughes dedicated an offensive high-stick on Bo Horvat. After the 4-on-4 ended, Canada went on the PP for 1:11, however the Canadians couldn’t rating, both.
Just like the 4 Nations championship sport again in Boston final 12 months, the sport headed to time beyond regulation, with the Canadians holding a 40-26 shot benefit, 33-18 within the second and third intervals mixed.
However all it took was one shot, and this time it was the People who made it.
